Switzerland, Holland & Rhine Cruise

Experience Switzerland & Holland with your private guide before you relax on a Rhine Cruise, Begin your relaxing cruise of the enchanting Rhine River in vibrant Amsterdam, enjoying her legendary canals and colorful surroundings. Visit the majestic Cologne Cathedral, the historic university town of Heidelberg, the charming medieval town of Strasbourg, and enjoy an excursion to the legendary Black Forest region. Conclude your journey amidst Switzerland’s stunning scenery and world-famous cities, enjoying lake-side excursions and Alpine vistas.

Itinerary

Day 1: Zurich

Enjoy a transfer in a private vehicle with a driver provided from the airport to your hotel.

Accommodation: Best Western Premier Hotel Glockenhof (4*)

Lion Monument

Day 2: Zurich

Enjoy a half day city tour with a private vehicle, driver and an English speaking guide. This excursion leads you to Central Switzerland and its most impressive landmarks: Lucerne and the proud rock pyramid of Mt. Pilatus! On your way enjoy your drive through the Sihl Valley to Zug and alongside the pretty Lake of Zug. At the quaint town of Küssnacht you reach the beautiful Lake of Lucerne, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Reflect on the history of Lucerne, which celebrated its 800th anniversary in 1978, as you walk through the 14th century Chapel Bridge, or as you visit the Musegg Town Walls and the Lion Monument. Before returning to Zurich, take some time to explore the storybook old City of Lucerne on your own. (Note: the Lion Monument will not be visible from mid April until mid May as it will be covered for clean up).

Accommodation: Best Western Premier Hotel Glockenhof (4*)

Basel

Muenchnerhof

Day 3: Zurich - Basel

Enjoy a train station transfer in a private vehicle with a driver.

Enjoy a train ride from Zurich to Basel.

Meet your English-speaking driver for a private train station transfer with vehicle.

Accommodation: Muenchnerhof (3*)

Rhine River Cruise

MS AmaCello / AmaDolce / AmaLyra

Day 4: Basel - Rhine Cruise

A private car with an English-speaking driver will transfer you to the Basel city port.

Day 5: Breisach - Rhine Cruise

You have two exciting group excursions to choose from today. The first is a walking tour of Riquewihr, a picturesque town that looks much as it did back in the 16th century. A second option is a walking tour of Breisach and Freiburg. Breisach is a beautiful town on that houses one of Europe’s largest wine cellars. In Freiburg, you will visit the historical city center and the Augustinerplatz, site of Freiburg’s Münster, a Gothic cathedral constructed of red sandstone.

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Strasbourg

Day 6: Strasbourg - Rhine Cruise

Capital and principal city of the Alsace region in northeastern France, Strasbourg is situated on the Ill River, where it flows into the Rhine on the border with Germany. Enjoy a canal cruise of this picturesque town, known for its black and white timber-framed buildings, covered bridges and medieval watchtowers. Then take a walking tour through this charming town lined with narrow cobbled streets. See the European Parliament and visit the “La Petite France” district, where you will see the sandstone gothic cathedral with its famous astronomical clock. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. In the afternoon, a guided bicycle tour (capacity controlled) will take you past the Orangery, the town’s oldest park, the European Parliament, and Place de la Republique.

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Speyer Cathedral

Day 7: Speyer, Germany - Rhine Cruise

This afternoon, arrive in Speyer, one of Germany’s oldest cities, known for the Speyer Cathedral, many churches and the Altpörtel (old gate) with a 13th-century gate tower. Choose either a city tour of medieval Speyer or half day excursion to Heidelberg, where you will visit the red-walled Castle, with its Great Vat, a 49,000-gallon 18th-century wine cask, and beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and Heidelberg below. As an alternative, a guided bike tour is also available in Speyer (capacity controlled).

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Rhine Gorge Castle

Day 8: Rudesheim - Rhine Cruise

This morning, arrive in Rüdesheim and enjoy a group visit Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. You will also have time to explore the Drosselgasse, a narrow alley lined with wine taverns and restaurants, followed by a wine tasting at a local vintner. As an alternative to the museum, treat yourself to a tasting of Rüdesheimer coffee. This afternoon, your ship departs for Koblenz and cruises through the Rhine Gorge, the most stunningly beautiful stretch of the river, with hillsides dotted with fairy-tale castles. After arriving in Koblenz this evening, your Cruise Manager will take you on a walking tour through this charming town. The ship moors here overnight.

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Cologne City and Cathedral

Day 9: Cologne - Rhine Cruise

The ship cruises to Cologne today, where you will have an afternoon group walking tour of the old part of the city and visit the fabled 13th-century gothic cathedral. Enjoy some free time to explore on your own. The ship departs this evening for Amsterdam.

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Amsterdam

Day 10: Amsterdam - Rhine Cruise

After arriving around noon, your tour of Amsterdam begins with a scenic canal cruise through the city known as the “Venice of the North.” See the beautiful homes that line the water, the fabled Skinny Bridge, and the famous Anne Frank House. Then, enjoy a panoramic city tour, where you will see the great landmarks of Amsterdam including a photo stop at a Windmill. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to explore Amsterdam before returning to the ship.

Accommodation: MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom)

Amsterdam

NH Amsterdam Centre

Day 11: Amsterdam

A transfer between the port and your hotel with a private vehicle and driver is provided.

Meet your private driver and guide at your hotel for your half-day tour to the Zaanse Schans. The Zaanse Schans is a delightful old hamlet on the banks of the river Zaan with characteristic green wooden houses, charming stylized gardens, small hump-backed bridges, tradesmen's workshops, historic windmills and charming little shops. This enchanting hamlet gives an excellent impression of how a typical Zaanse village must have looked like in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Apart from the cluster of windmills and houses there are also several museums, restaurants and a visitors' centre to be found. The Zaanse Schans has become one of the top tourist destinations in the Netherlands. Return to hotel.

Accommodation: NH Amsterdam Centre (4*)

Day 12: Amsterdam

What's Included:

Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services - Use of bicycles during calls-to-port for individual exploration - Port charges

What's not Included:

Trip Terms & Conditions

Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price). The balance is due 120 days prior to departure.

Cancellations of confirmed bookings 120 days or more after booking will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-119 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 75% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.

Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary

Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.

Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.

Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.

Hotels

Comfort

Best Western Premier Hotel Glockenhof (4*) - Zurich

The Best Western Premier Hotel Glockenhof (4*) is a city hotel with Zurich tradition, located just a few steps from the famous Bahnhofstrasse and in easy walking distance of Lake Zurich and the main station. Hotel has two restaurants which you can choose from. The hotel also provides you with a complimentary newspaper, a concierge, multilingual staff and foreign currency exchange. Rooms feature remote control 16-inch cable television with CNN, mini-bar and data-ports.

Muenchnerhof (3*) - Basel

Hotel Muenchnerhof (3*) Situated in front of the exhibition centre Messe Basel. The hotel has 12 single rooms, 20 double or twin room and 3 Junior Suites which are all renovated with en-suite bathroom, telephone, radio, safe, hairdryer and TV. Underground-parking is available for hotel guests. Breakfast is available to guests each morning. Guests are invited to serve themselves from the breakfast buffet. At lunchtime and in the evenings, guests may select dishes from an à la carte menu.

MS AmaCello / AmaLyra / AmaDolce (BLD) (Stateroom) - Rhine Cruise

The MS AmaCello, AmaDolce and AmaLyra debuted in 2008 and 2009 respectively. The vessels set new standards in European river cruising and offer a number of features, which no other European river cruise ship can match. The vessels carry 148 passengers in unequaled luxury, comfort and style and are staffed by a highly-trained professional crew, with an ongoing emphasis on personal service.

NH Amsterdam Centre (4*) - Amsterdam

The luxurious NH Amsterdam Centre Hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Amsterdam. It is right across from the lively Leidse Square in the fashion and museum district, an area brimming with entertainment, dining, and nightlife options. Amsterdam’s characteristic canals and the city’s top museums are just a short stroll from the hotel, as is the exclusive “PC Hooft” shopping street and the Vondelpark, a sprawling urban green space. Each of the guestrooms offer a wide range of amenities, such as Wi-Fi internet access, coffee- and tea-making facilities, air-conditioning and a mini bar. The NH Amsterdam Centre hotel offers a relaxing Wellness Center and state-of-the-art fitness center, which are the perfect ending to your busy day. Indulge in a delicious meal at the Ristorante Sogno restaurant or enjoy a refreshing cocktail at the Lounge 'L.